'Take me to You, imprison me, for I, Except You'enthral me, never shall be free, Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me' John Donne was one of the greatest and most daring poets in the English language, whose work reinvigorated the traditions of Renaissance verse with its wit, wordplay, elaborate conceits, colloquial tone and often shocking imagery drawn from everyday life. This new collection of Donne's work shows the huge range of his verse, from startling, intimate love poems such as 'The Sun Rising' and 'The Good Morrow' to his forceful Holy Sonnets, as well as epigrams, elegies, satires, letters, hymns and memorial verses. Brought together, they illustrate fully the complexity and originality of a unique poetic genius who combined ardour and intellect in equal measure. Ilona Bell's introduction to this new collection considers Donne's life, critical responses to his work, the different audiences he wrote for and his radical use of form and metaphor. This edition also includes a chronology, detailed notes and a further reading list. Edited with an introduction and notes by Ilona Bell General Editor: Christopher Ricks .
